Architectural Details for Insulated Buildings – Reviewing an $890.00 book

Summary: This post is a book review of “Architectural Details for Insulated Buildings” by Ronald Brand. Our one-sentence summary is this: “A detailed yet accessible composition of technical drawings with supporting theory raising essential questions related to the development and documentation of construction details by architects.” In short, we like it. Get one if you can still find it. Don’t overpay.

Introduction

Unlike some of those fancy architectural blogs out there, we like to approach things a little differently.

So with that in mind, we decided to do a book review of a book published in the 1990s. I know, ancient to some of you reading this since you hadn’t been born yet in 1990.

To make matters even more interesting, we are reviewing a book that is difficult (and after this post, likely impossible) to find online. You might have to go to one of those old legendary warehouses of knowledge known as libraries to locate a copy.

I was looking for a copy online while writing this post, and I managed to find two, although the price seemed a little off.

eBay offers one for $94.49, which appeared to be a bargain compared to the one at Amazon for $890.00 (plus $3.95 shipping).

Perhaps I’m wrong, and this listing refers to a full encyclopedia of architectural details. Still, if you are considering buying this book or any other book of details for $890 (plus shipping), we should be friends (I have some books to sell you).

I obtained my copy a few years ago for $8.26 on Amazon. It turned out to be a used copy somebody bought at a Library sale after it was discarded. It is in great shape and one of the best investments I’ve made in a long time. (Note to self: Consider starting 90’s niche book ETF…)

I note that it was a discarded copy since it was checked out only twice during its tenure in the library and likely discarded to make space for other high demand books.

About Architectural Details and the Author

Architectural Details for Insulated Buildings was written by Ronald Brand, Ph.D. from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario in Canada.

(Side note: The subject of insulated buildings has been of particular importance in Canada for many years. As Enclosurist you should be aware of the vast wealth of building science-related material that has been generated in Canada long before the neighbor to the South started thinking about energy performance and comfort).

From what I could find, Ronald Brand was a Professor of Architecture and one of Canada’s leading building scientists.

He unfortunately, passed away in 1990. If you know more about the author or his publications, feel free to share it below in the comments.

Van Nostrand Reinhold (New York) [now owned by John Wiley and Sons] published the 238 page hardcover book in 1990.

Use ISBN 0442236743 to find it.

What is in ‘Architectural Details for Insulated Buildings’?

The book consists of three sections: The Prolegomenon, The Details, and The Science Behind The Details.

Part 0 is the Prolegomenon, which, according to my friend Google, means “a critical or discursive introduction to a book.”

The author also calls this section the “Stuff You Should Know” section.

Here he documents the widespread nature of building envelope failures as well as the costs and causes related to these failures.

He then lays out an argument against the way architects develop details, and argue for the use of model details. He explains how these model details should be conceived and used.

In Part 1 of the book, he provides eight series with over 70 model details for several materials and systems, including brick cladding, stone cladding, metal cladding, glass and metal curtain wall, and miscellaneous assemblies. Each detail is annotated, and supporting information is provided on the opposing page.

Part 2 contains seven chapters describing the science behind the details. Chapters include Heat Loss and Insulation, Airtightness and Vapor Tightness, Preventing Rain leakage, Sealing Joints, Windows, Watertight Roofing and Flashings. The content in the chapters includes design guidelines as well as references for further reading.

The book closes with an extensive index.

Why do we like this book

In the longer than usual introduction, I jokingly noted that this book is ancient to some.

However, the author’s description of the prevalence and cost of building envelope failures is as relevant today as it was in 1990. So are the reasons for failure.

The author identified, among others, absent or leaky air barriers, thermal bridging, no air space behind the cladding, and improperly supported cladding. Nod, if any of this sounds familiar.

There are many reasons why we are dealing with precisely the same issues Brand tried to address 30 years ago, and perhaps this should be a topic for a different post. Still, as pointed out by Brand, part of the problem lies with the way some architects develop and document details. We agree.

Now, before you get all huffy and start calling me names and tell me why I know nothin’, keep in mind that I’m an architect myself. Also, note that I used the words “partly” and “some” to allow you to assume that this applies to other architectural practices and not your own.

Sadly, in many practices, the process employed to develop and document details are lacking, and this is the root cause of some enclosure failures.

Managers often ask junior designers to harvest details from other sets as ‘placeholders’ or to ‘capture scope’. The goal is to update these in future sets to be project-specific, but inevitably in the rush of getting sets completed, these details slip through.

I know, this has probably never happened to you, but RFI’s calling for clarification regarding air or vapor barrier annotations that differed between details, or a punched window detail showing curtain wall profiles, are typical.

Let us assume you are on the other side of the spectrum and never harvest details.

Instead, you take the time to draw every detail from scratch. Commendable but time-consuming and not practical for all firms, especially for more inexperienced staff.

Developing details from scratch requires a level of experience and technical knowledge not often available in the pool of recent graduates or mid-level staff.

Solutions for different firms will look different, but one place to start is the use of model details.

Model details are sets of details that architects develop over time based on a set of criteria.

Project teams include these details in sets, identifying them internally as model details to be adjusted and edited based on project requirements. Annotations are specific enough to identify components but not yet project-specific.

Model details are useful in both project design and documentation as well as in educating design staff.

These details are developed by following a specific process (Adjusted from Brand (1990)):

1. Understand the requirements for building envelopes (Control heat flow, airflow, water flow, etc.)
2. Understand the detailing rules (Continuous air barrier, continuous insulation, drain wall to the outside, etc.)
3. Consider typical arrangements and conditions (Wall to roof intersection, Wall to floor intersection, Wall to foundation intersection, and openings)
4. Compile typical details for specific construction types based on the factors described above.
5. Put in place a process for using and updating model details during the design process.

Several local firms started using model details a few years back, and the process is not without issues.

The benefits, however, are multiple.

A reliable set of model details informing the project, allows the team to concentrate on refinement instead of generation as well as addressing project-specific design issues.

Model details also help junior staff understand the various systems and assemblies as described through consistent and coordinated details. This process equips staff to better apply the experience gained on future projects.

Summary

The reasons we liked this book are as follows:

• Even though this book was published in the 90s Brand’s message remains timely and relevant for today’s practitioners.
• Brand provides a good overview of what model details should include as well as the steps on how to generate these details.
• Brand’s treatment of the science behind architectural detailing is thorough and provides a systematic overview for both new and experienced practitioners.
• The illustrations are concise and clear and serves to illustrate Brand’s points.

Despite the technological and material changes that occurred since the book’s publication, we still feel this is a useful reference guide for new and experienced Enclosurists (not just architects) should you be lucky enough to get your hands on a copy.